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Thursday, 30 August 2007

Chavez calls for International of left parties
by VAUGHAN GUNSON
Hugo Chavez has called for a new International of left parties. Speaking to thousands of activists who’ve joined the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), he said: “2008 could be a good time to convoke a meeting of left parties in Latin America to organize a new International, an organisation of parties and movements of the left in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Chavez says the PSUV would play an active role in the international arena, in the context of a resurgence of left parties and movements around the world.
This is a very positive development in the Venezuelan revolution. An International of left parties and movements would bring activists and revolutionary leaders together from different countries. It would enable a cross pollination of ideas, tactics and strategies crucial to furthering the international struggle for a better world.
The example of the Venezuelan revolution is already an inspiration to grassroots people across Latin America and around the world. Socialism is well and truly back on the political agenda. Activists in Venezuela are in a position to offer leadership and share knowledge with grassroots fighters in other countries.
At the same time, it is absolutely necessary for the survival of the socialist movement in Venezuela that the revolutionary wave is spread globally. It is not an option for socialism to be constructed in one country. The pressure of global capitalist forces will corrupt or defeat the movement sooner or later.
The Venezuelan revolution has to face outwards to the international movement. In raising the possibility of a new International, Chavez and his co-leadership are clearly aware of this. The PSUV is being formed with an internationalist outlook.
The fact that the PSUV is bringing together millions of grassroots activists into one fighting organisation is going to deepen the revolt against neo-liberalism that’s already occurring in Latin America. Taking steps to build an International in that part of the world, as Chavez is proposing, will have an international impact that will go far beyond that continent.
Socialist Worker-New Zealand believes that the revolutionary process in Venezuela is creating the material conditions for a real mass socialist international. This is what we argued in our two recent statements on the Venezuelan revolution and socialist internationalism (go to http://unityaotearoa.blogspot.com/2007/05/may-day-statement-by-central-committee.html and http://unityaotearoa.blogspot.com/2007/07/second-statement-on-venezuelan.html).
As we said in our statements, socialists internationally need to urgently engage in a comradely way with the leaders of the PSUV in order to begin to discuss the prospect of a truly mass socialist International. We must seize the historic opportunity that’s been created by the Venezuelan revolution.